For the Hero Image: Copy or paste the location of the image URL into the cell below. You can get the URL of the image that you've uploaded to the web graphics admin by viewing the image and then right clicking on the image "copy image location" or "copy image address". DO NOT FORMAT THE TEXT OR USE THE LINK BUILDER TO INSERT A LINK TO IMAGE. You must type or copy/paste the url of the image into the cell.

Celebrating 27 Years of Leadership!We support the success and professional development of individuals in the wine industry

Learn More About Our Journey

Women for WineSense is the premier wine education and networking organization for wine industry professionals and wine aficionados. We believe that wine enhances and enriches everyday life and our goal is to promote the appreciation and responsible enjoyment of wine. With that in mind, we support the success and professional development of women and men in wine and associated industries. WWS is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization

The Beginning

Our founders, Michaela Rodeno and Julie Johnson, were and still are leaders in the wine industry. Back in 1990 their children asked them why they were “making drugs.” Outraged that their children were not receiving balanced information, they formed Women for WineSense to discuss moderate wine consumption, its benefits in a healthy lifestyle, and the need for balanced information in warning labels on wine bottles. “Xeroxing” hundreds of pages, a small WWS army began its quest to defend wine. Joining Michaela and Julie were industry icons like Margaret Duckhorn, Rosemary Cakebread, Kit Wall, Lynne Carmichael, Dawnine Dyer, Zelma Long, Lili Thomas, Annette Shafer, Susan Sokol-Blosser, Gabrielle Saylor, Cathy Clifton, Margrit Mondavi, and many more.

Michaela writes in her book, From Bubbles to Boardrooms, “Legislators in Sacramento and Washington were eager to meet with us. The media wanted to hear more. I have never felt or seen such energy in my life, before or after, the early days of Women for WineSense.” Congress declared American Wine Appreciation Week in April 1993. Having achieved their initial mission, the WWS members decided in 1994 during a strategic planning meeting facilitated by Karen Jess-Lindsley and Linda Cyrog to continue the organization as a forum for wine education and relationship building.

Our History

1990: Napa/Sonoma Founding Chapter Opens

1992: Portland Chapter Opens

1993: American Wine Appreciation Week

1994: New York City Chapter Opens

1998: Seattle Chapter Opens

1999: Rochester Chapter Opens

2004: Professional Roundtables Introduced

2007: Dallas Chapter Opens, 1st Grand Event

2008: 2nd Grand Event

2009: Pittsburgh Chapter Opens

2010: 3rd Grand Event

2012: San Francisco Chapter Opens, 4th Grand Event

2013: Girls Gone Willamette

2014: Central Florida and TX Hill Country Chapters Open

2015: 25th Anniversary Celebration and 5th Grand Event

National Presidents

Julie Johnson 1990 – 1991

Sharon Goldman 1993 – 1994

Michaela Rodeno 1994

Lynne Carmichael 1995

Cathy Clifton 1996

Rebecca Robinson 1997

Claudia di Clemente 1998

Kerry Manahan-Ehlow 1999

Caroline Coleman Bailey 1999 – 2001

Kim Ledbetter Bronson 2001 – 2004

Gabrielle Leonhard 2004 – 2008

Karen Jess-Lindsley 2008 – 2011

Rebecca Moore 2012 – 2013

Jonjie Lockman 2014 – 2016

Karla Barber 2016 - present

The Organization Today

The mission established in 1994 remains our mission today: To provide educational and relationship building opportunities for wine industry professionals and wine enthusiasts. We have ten chapters across the United States with hundreds of members. 49% are wine industry professionals and 51% are wine aficionados. Each chapter caters to the needs of their members while supporting our common mission. Our chapters host well over 100 events per year ranging from intimate gatherings to learn about a specific wine region or wine style to professional development seminars for 100+ people. Many WineSense chapters contribute thousands of dollars each year in scholarships to women in wine-related fields of study.

Your web browser and/or computer operating system is either out of date, or requires a configuration change, and will not be able to access the secure portions of the website.
You will not be able to log in or access pages that require secure connections, such as members-only areas, event registrations, payments, etc.